01.05.23 West Orange Times & Observer

ORLANDO HEALTH

WELCOMES FIRST BABY OF 2023

Central Florida’s first baby of the New Year was born at 12:23 a.m.

Sunday, Jan. 1, at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women

and Babies. Baby Olivia weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 18 inches in length.

To mark the occasion, the Central Florida Diaper Bank is donating diapers for one year — that’s about 3,600 diapers — to Olivia’s family.

The organization advocates for and encourages healthy growth, nutrition and development for children from newborn to age three, promoting self-sufficiency for at-risk families by identifying their needs and providing the appropriate resources.

“We are thankful for the opportu-

nity to partner with Orlando Health for the second year to provide diapers for a year to a family in our community and help give their baby a healthy start,” said Sharon Lyles, diaper bank executive director.

FREE PET CARE COMING TO SERVICE CENTER

The ElleVet Project, a national nonprofit arm of the science-focused pet CBD+CBDA company ElleVet Sciences, will provide free veterinary care, food and supplies to the

We asked for your photos depicting school strength, and you responded — in amazingly inspiring fashion!

For our third annual Observer School Zone Show Us Your Strength Photo Contest, we received more than 60 entries — all perfectly capturing the strength, drive, determination and talents of members of our

Duke Energy to trim trees in Oakland. ONLINE.

amazing school communities. Some photos focused on artists’ pursuits in music, dance, theater and more, while others displaying true grit of our outstanding athletes. Still others showed our students’ strengths in the classroom, volunteering in the community and even in their faith. After all votes were cast,

pets of the homeless and street pets.

The mobile relief effort will offer the program from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at the West Orange

Christian Service Center, 300 W. Franklin St., Ocoee. For information, call (844) 947-4871.

As The ElleVet Project travels throughout the United States in its 32-foot RV dubbed the “ElleVan,” the organization collaborates with city officials and municipalities to host a rotating team of professional veterinarians to provide free veterinary care to the most vulnerable animals. Services include vaccines, flea and tick preventatives, deworming, general checkups, emergency surgeries and other services as needed.

the Windermere High School marching band emerged as our winner. The Wolverines’ photo features the band as it performed at the 2022 Bands of America Grand National Championships last November in Indianapolis. Windermere was one of only four bands from Florida to perform.

For its win, the band will receive $2,500 thanks to our contest sponsor, Healthy West Orange.

For more contest photos, see page 2A or visit OrangeObserver.com and click on “Contests.”

The dance program is a strength at Dr. Phillips High School.

Right: Foundation Academy students work together to answer questions in their science class.

Members of The First Academy’s Lower School welcome veterans at the school’s annual ceremony.

Left: Whispering Oak Elementary’s Girls on the Run members were ready to pound pavement.

For the love of the lake

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

The demise of Lake Apopka dates all the way back to 1893, when the destruction was foreshadowed by the construction of the Apopka-Beauclair Canal. The new canal lowered the 50,000-acre lake by 3 feet, exposing the shallow northern portion of the lake.

In 1941, farmers constructed a levee across Lake Apopka to drain the top 20,000 acres, creating muck farms to grow vegetables during World War II.

Fifty years of nutrients from the farms, wastewater from nearby towns and byproducts from citrus processors created repeated algal blooms and turned the lake pea green, killing all native aquatic vegetation.

Long considered the largemouth bass capital of the eastern United States, Lake Apopka went from an angler’s paradise to Florida’s most polluted lake.

In the last 25 years, progress has been made, largely thanks to efforts from Friends of Lake Apopka and the St. Johns River Water Management District, and the restoration of Florida’s fourth largest lake is continuing.

The latest project? Develop a plan to design and permit channel dredging and near-shore habitat dredging in the vicinity of the Newton Park boat ramp.

“The Newton Park dredging project would be another in a long list of efforts that are contributing to the improvements we’ve already seen,” SJRWMD Media Outreach Manager Ashley Evitt said. “The design effort is a necessary step toward implementing the project. The restoration of Lake Apopka has been a focus of the district’s efforts for many years. While many successes have been achieved to date, the restoration of the lake will require the continued collaboration of state, regional and local partners.”

PROJECT PLANNING

In 2016, the Florida Legislature granted SJRWMD $5 million per year for the restoration of Lake Apopka. One of the initiatives the district sought out with the money was to conduct an engineering study of what it would take to dredge Newton Park.

Just as soon as the initiative began, the money dried up, because the Legislature decided to spend the money elsewhere. The project went dormant.

In early 2022, Joe Dunn, FOLA immediate past president, and other FOLA members approached the district and asked what it would take to resurrect the study. The district said if the city of Winter Garden was willing to do a collaboration, the project could move forward.

FOLA met with former City Manager Mike Bollhoefer and current City Manager Jon Williams, who both agreed the city would put up $100,000 for the project, while the district contributed $200,000 through a legislative appropriation focused on Lake Apopka water quality improvement, meeting the $300,000 needed to finish the study.

A draft Request for Proposal was created with review from the involved parties. The focus of the project is to conduct an engineering evaluation of what it would take to dredge the water near Newton Park, which is separate from the actual dredging, with the planning being conducted in a phased approach.

The district will be the lead agency hiring and managing an engineering firm to complete the final design and permitting of the project.

The engineering firm selected will study the plans with design and permitting anticipated to require 24 months before coming back and giving recommendations for dredging and best practices to the district and city.

The dredging timeline will depend on funding; about $5 million is needed for completion. The district has grants through the state that can be utilized to help pay for the project up to 25%. Other opportunities for funding could be entities such as Orange County or the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection.

Dunn said part of FOLA’s mission will be to help the city secure funding.

However, because the project still is in its planning stages, Dunn said funding is not currently being discussed.

“With any engineering study and with any science, there are unknown unknowns,” he explained. “You just

don’t

INSPECTING IMPACTS

According to the SJRWMD, placement of dredge material can be on district-owned Lake Apopka north shore property or potentially dewatered and used for an alternative beneficial use.

“The proposed dredging will also provide a Lake Apopka water quality benefit by removing unconsolidated floc easily re-suspended by wave energy,” Evitt said. “Dredging the channel provides a benefit by removing sediment for boat navigation.”

Dunn agreed, saying eliminating the muck would allow native vegetation to proliferate.

“The muck is the dead vegetation covering the sandy bottom,” he said. “Emergent vegetation that sits on the surface like lily pads and submerged aquatic vegetation like eelgrass don’t like the muck. They can grow in it but prefer a cleaner sand base.”

In terms of navigation, Dunn thinks a majority of anglers prefer not to put their boats in at the dock because of the large amounts of muck that enter the motor.

“There are a lot of reasons for it from an ecological standpoint,” he said. “To decrease the turbidity of the water. That muck gets in the water column and the lake doesn’t get through. Because it’s a large shallow lake, the wind stirs up the muck, so getting the muck out will increase oxygen, light, native vegetation and make it easier to put a boat in.”

Assistant City Manager Steve Pash said the city decided to contribute financially toward the design to improve the community.

“Dredging the area in front of our dock will be beneficial to our citizens, as well as those that are putting boats in at that location,” Pash said.

Daniel Whitehouse, FOLA member and avid lake user, said the fish-

ing has improved dramatically over the last few years and is continuing to improve. Howver, it still can be better.

“We need more native submerged vegetation in the lake to help aid not only the lake health but also the game fish and the overall natural habitat,” Whitehouse said. “The challenges the lake is facing are visible but also non-visible. When the lake levels are low, anyone who is putting a boat in at the ramps around the lake will quite easily notice the muck aspect. You start idling your boat out, and the water gets churned up, and you get that brown muck color. You can also notice the clarity of the lake and the water color. In some lakes, you can see 15 or 20 feet down clear as day. In some areas of Lake Apopka it’s hard to see 6, 8, even 12 inches down because of the turbidity. The more muck we get out of the lake, the more it will help with that.”

However, Dunn said there are also a lot of mechanical and engineering challenges that go along with the process, and dredging is actually the easier portion.

“You’re going to take a bunch of phosphorus-laden muck and stir it up and get phosphorus back in the water, so you need to understand what’s going to happen and what dynamic is going to occur in terms of the phosphorus levels,” he said. “So once the muck comes up, what do you do with it? That is a big part of the engineering study. One of the reasons we wanted to do the study is so they had scientific and engineering facts instead of emotion, because one of the solutions is to have just a bunch of dump trucks pull up to Newton Park, load it up, drive it away and dump it somewhere.”

Dunn said he thinks another option would be to utilize a series of barges with pumps to put the muck on the north shore, which is generally the preferred solution. The distance from the park to the northeastern corner of the lake is about 6 miles.

“Every decade that they farmed on the north shore, the ground dropped a foot, so that 20,000 acres on the north shore that used to be farms is 5 feet lower than the lake,” he said. “You have lots of room to take muck and put it on the north shore, but you’ve got to get it up there.”

However, the pumping raises yet another series of challenges.

With the continuous running of pipes and pumps with motors for an undetermined time, how can the project impact the least amount of citizens?

“Dredging by itself won’t ‘fix’ the lake, but it’s just another way we can help the lake recover,” Whitehouse said. “The current plan that the city is working on is minimal in the grand scheme of things — the amount of muck they’re going to dredge for the purpose of navigation. If we were ever to get to the scale where there was a project to remove all of the muck on the bottom then that becomes a much larger concern of where all of that muck would go.”

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Lake Apopka is the headwaters of the Ocklawaha Chain of Lakes, located in northwest Orange and southeast Lake counties and is fed by a natural spring, rainfall and stormwater runoff.

Water from Lake Apopka flows through the Apopka-Beauclair Canal and into lakes Beauclair and Dora. From Lake Dora, water flows into Lake Eustis, then into Lake Griffin and then northward into the Ocklawaha River, which flows into the St. Johns River.

Although there was outrage and many calls for action in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, little was done to combat the lake’s declining health.

Muck farmers could generate three crops a year rather than their traditional one crop per year, leading productivity to an enormous nutrient loading in the remaining 30,000 acres of the lake.

Biologist Jim Thomas in 1991 founded FOLA with the sole mission of advocating for the restoration of Lake Apopka.

In 1998, the state Legislature spent $100 million to purchase the muck farms, ending the primary source of nutrient loading into the lake. SJRWMD then spent the next 25 years restoring the muck farms to natural wetlands.

At its worst, Lake Apopka was almost 300 parts-per-billion of phosphorus as a key barometer of the lake’s health used by biologists. Today, the phosphorus level is down to 80 ppb. The target is 55 ppb.

Key initiatives that drove 25 years of SJRWMD restoration efforts included: Converting 20,000 acres of muck farms into natural wetlands, creating a 760-acre Marsh Flow Way naturally filtering 40% of the lake’s volume water every year, removing a million pounds of gizzard shad from the lake each year and increasing native submerged aquatic vegetation.

As the lake recovered, ecotourism flourished. Birdwatchers flock to the new wetlands on the north shore, where 270 species of birds congregate in the winter during migration. The 11-mile Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive opened in 2015 and attracts almost 200,000 visitors per year. Fishing efforts on Lake Apopka have more than doubled in the past few years.

Looking ahead, bicycle trails around the lake will be connected to create a safe 42-mile cycling route around Lake Apopka in 2024.

Dunn said his passion for the lake is fueled by his two grandchildren.

“That lake will not be completely restored in my lifetime, but I want that lake completely restored in their lifetime,” he said. “The lake is my backyard, so it hits close to home with the way I care for it. Jim Thomas was such an inspiration and an incredible man. I want his legacy to continue to live.”

know what might come up. This is a really critical phase.”

Winter Garden is partnering with Friends of Lake Apopka and the St. Johns River Water Management District to develop a plan to dredge Lake Apopka near the Newton Park boat ramp.

Daniel Whitehouse

Courtesy photos

Lake Apopka was long considered the largemouth bass capital of the eastern United States.

Left: Lake Apopka is the fourth largest lake in the U.S. It stretches more than 30,000 acres.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In the last 11 years, the town of Oakland has made significant progress in providing an alternative wastewater disposal method to the longstanding dependence on septic tank systems. Some of these septic tanks date back to the 1950s and have been failing.

n Completed a sanitary sewer master plan.

n Signed an interlocal agreement with the city of Clermont for sewage treatment.

n Produced an economic development report for potential developers.

n Constructed more than 1 mile of 12-inch-diameter force main and master repump station to connect with Clermont’s system through a public-private partnership with a developer.

n Completed a wastewater fee study that included impact fees and connection rates.

n Finished construction of the regional pump station and force main. This $800,000 project was partially funded by $250,000 received from the state in Fiscal Year 2014-15.

n Completed construction of the gravity main extension from the regional pump station to Florida’s Turnpike with $1 million from the State Legislature in FY 2016-17 and $100,000 in FY 2018-19.

n Completed construction of the connection under the turnpike-State Road 50 interchange and the Longleaf at Oakland subdivision improvements with $487,000 in impact fee credits from the town and a $1,021,500 investment from developers.

n Secured funding from developers for $500,000 for a lift station, force main and collection system in Oakland Trails that was later completed.

n Secured an estimated $825,000 for a lift station, force main and collection system in the Hull Island at Oakland subdivision.

n Designed and constructed the Sadler Extension to Tubb Street, the West Oakland Avenue Extension and Lift Station 5 with $1 million from the State Legislature for FY 2017-18.

n Succeeded in eliminating 500 septic tanks from a new residential neighborhood and an additional 500 systems from developments that were under construction.

n Received $250,000 from the Legislature in FY 201920 that was leveraged with impact fees and developer contributions to design and construct Lift Station 6.

n Secured additional utility easements for future phases.

n Completed Lift Station 5 and started construction of Lift Station 6.

n Secured $500,000 in legislature funds to go toward the construction of Lift Station 7, which is currently in the design phase.

Pipe dream

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Amassive ongoing project started by the town of Oakland a decade ago is proving to be a benefit to the town as more businesses choose to set up shop in Oakland. This year will mark even more change as officials continue the town’s multi-million-dollar conversion from septic to sewer.

New residential construction is being built with sewer hookups, as are large-scale commercial projects such as Lakeside Church and Tractor Supply Co. Much of it is being paid for with a combination of state legislature funds, impact fees and developer contributions.

The town’s goal has been to create a 21st-century community with 19thcentury charm.

“Our goal when we started this was to get from the Lake County to the Winter Garden city limits,” said Public Works Director Mike Parker. “Lift Station 6 gets us there. The infill will be development driven. As development comes in, we will build more.”

PUTTING A PLAN INTO ACTION

Oakland officials began discussions in 2013 with a series of visioning meetings to gauge residents’ desires. The general consensus was they wanted Mayberry — with restaurants and shopping opportunities. But to get there, the town would have to stop relying on its old septic system and create and implement an aggressive — and expensive — plan to convert to a sewer system that could handle the wastewater volume that restaurants and even hotels produce.

Constructing a treatment plant was out of the question because of costs and other factors, so the town entered an agreement with the city of Clermont to process the wastewater.

The next step was to build the necessary infrastructure to move the wastewater through the town and into Clermont, so the town began a series of lift station projects.

NEED A LIFT?

Lift Station 1 was constructed at the west end of the town near the LakeOrange County Line to direct the wastewater to the treatment plant in Clermont.

Lift Station 2, which houses the master pump station, is located on J.W. Jones Road and services a large area between the Lake-Orange County Line and Remington Road south of Florida’s Turnpike and mainly north of West Colonial Drive.

Lift Station 3 serves two residential subdivisions along Hull Island Drive.

Lift Station 4 services the area that includes the Longleaf at Oakland residential neighborhood and The Avenue

on Oakland apartment complex.

Lift Station 5 is now in service at the intersection of East Hull Avenue and South Arrington Street. It serves Tractor Supply Co. and Lakeside Church, both on Colonial, and some residences.

“We did a septic-to-sewer initiative in 2021-22,” Parker said. “We eliminated existing septic tanks and put those residences — about 50 houses — on central sewer. A couple of … churches we put on the sewer as well with that project.”

Lift Station 6 is under construction now along Catherine Ross Road (formerly Motamassek Road) and will service most of the development south of Colonial, Parker said. Several businesses on Colonial that cater to childcare and youth aquatics also have committed to building in that area.

This lift station will service a 44-home subdivision already permitted east of Catherine Ross and south of Oakland Avenue, as well as Oakland Avenue Charter School and the town’s public safety facility that houses the Oakland Police Department and Orange County Fire Rescue Department.

By the end of December 2022, the town had the concrete structures to build the lift station lined along the road and ready to be placed in the ground. Parker estimated the lift station will be operational by May.

Catherine Ross Road will be under construction in late 2023 and likely will open in 2024, he said. It will serve as another north-south connector to alleviate traffic on Oakland Avenue and Colonial.

Parker said the conversion project is out to bid with a deadline of this month. This project will convert the public safety building and the charter school from the septic system and connect it to Lift Station 6 once it goes into operation in late spring.

BENEFITS

Town of Oakland officials shared the benefits of shifting from a septic system to a sewer system.

n Reduces nutrient loading within Lake Apopka and Johns Lake basins.

n Protects the Gourd Neck Spring Watershed.

n Increases property values and helps balance the tax base.

n Allows higher sales tax revenues for local and state agencies.

n Enables the creation of jobs.

n Minimizes or eliminates the potential for additional septic systems in Oakland.

n Is supported by the local community.

BY THE NUMBERS

7 The number of duplex lift stations installed for the force main transmission system ranging in capacity from 129 to 760 gallons per minute.

About 178

The number of manholes installed in the gravity sewer collection system.

About 19,059

The length in linear feet of force mains, ranging in diameter from 4 to 12 inches.

About 30,929

The length in linear feet of gravity sewer lines, ranging in diameter from 6 to 24 inches.

More than 3M

The number of gallons of sewage sent to Clermont for treatment in November 2022.

“Removing the school and public service building from the seven septic tanks and 1-acre-size drain field is a huge accomplishment for the town,” Parker said.

A small parcel of land south of Colonial currently under construction also will connect to Lift Station 6.

The Lift Station 7 project currently is in the design phase. It will serve the northern extension of Jefferson Street near Lake Apopka and should be operational by mid-2024. This includes the new Briley Farms development as well as surrounding existing homes that will be removed from septic and hooked up to sewer, Parker said.

Parker said nothing is planned beyond the seventh lift station.

“It’s going to be dependent upon development and funding,” he said. “We’re accumulating these with as little funding from the town as we can. There’s a lot of things pending, but nothing concrete.”

According to Parker, only newly constructed neighborhoods and commercial projects are being connected to sewer. He said it could be 10 years before established communities such as Johns Landing and Johns Cove are connected.

“Five years ago, we didn’t have anybody on sewer, and now we have a little over 1,000 customers on sewer and (are) pumping 3 million gallons a month,” Parker said. “That’s a lot of sewer. It’s a whole new thing for Oakland.”

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944

Editor and Publisher / Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com

Design Editor / Jessica Eng, jeng@OrangeObserver.com

News Editor / Annabelle Sikes, asikes@OrangeObserver.com

Community Editor / Amy Quesinberry, amyq@OrangeObserver.com

Staff Writer / Andrea Mujica, amujica@OrangeObserver.com

Sales Manager / Cyndi Gustafson, advertising@OrangeObserver.com

Multimedia Advertising Executive / Iggy Collazo, iggy@OrangeObserver.com

Graphic Designer / Andrea Rukstalis, arukstalis@OrangeObserver.com

Advertising Operations Manager / Allison Brunelle, abrunelle@OrangeObserver.com

CONTACT US

The West Orange Times West Orange Times & Observer and Southwest Orange Observer are published once weekly, on Thursdays. The papers can be found in many commercial locations throughout West Orange and Southwest Orange.

If you wish to subscribe, visit our website, OrangeObserver.com, call (407) 656-2121 or visit our office, 661 Garden Commerce Parkway, Suite 180, Winter Garden.

TO ADVERTISE

For display or digital advertising, call (407) 656-2121.

For Classifieds, call (407) 656-2121.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

We want to hear from you. Let us know about your events, celebrations and achievements.

To contact us, email to Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP

PUBLIC NOTICES

The West Orange Times meets the legal requirements to publish legal and public notices in Orange County per F.S. 50.011

USPS Periodicals Permit (USPS# 687-120)

WEST ORANGE TIMES

The West Orange Times (USPS 687120) is published weekly for $40 per year ($50 outside of Orange County) by the Observer Media Group, 661 Garden Commerce Parkway, Winter Garden, Florida, 34787. Periodical postage paid at Winter Garden, Florida. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to the (name of pub; i.e., West Orange Times, West Orange Times & Observer or Southwest Orange Observer), Observer Media Group, P.O. Box 135, Lincolnshire, Illinois 60069-0135.

Observer Media Group Inc. is locally owned. Publisher of the Longboat Observer, East County Observer, Sarasota Observer, Siesta Key Observer, Palm Coast Observer, Ormond Beach Observer, West Orange Times & Observer, Southwest Orange Observer, Business Observer, Jacksonville Daily Record, Jacksonville Record & Observer, LWR Life Magazine, Baldwin Park Living Magazine and Season Magazine

Founding Editor and CEO / Matt Walsh

President / Emily Walsh

Vice President / Lisa Walsh Chairman Emeritus / David Beliles 1970 Main St. Third Floor Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-3468

A septic-to-sewer project is necessary to create the modern-day Mayberry Oakland residents want, and town officials have been working to balance the town’s charm with a desire for shopping and dining destinations.

Lift Station 2 is located off J.W. Jones Road on the west end of Oakland.

Amy Quesinberry

‘It feels like home’

Maggie Bonko, the new leader of Orlando Health Horizon West Hospital, has enjoyed a career that spans nearly two decades with the organization.

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Hospitals always have played an important role in Maggie Bonko’s life. Her mother served in health care for 40 years, and Bonko has vivid childhood memories of being awakened in the middle of the night when her mother was on trauma call and had to take her with her to the hospital.

Bonko learned about empathy at an early age by watching her mother and the other nurses tending to their patients. She was drawn to the field and had the desire to use her empathy as a powerful tool for helping others.

And now she is president of Orlando Health Horizon West, named to the position Dec. 1, 2022.

“I’ve always been attached to community hospitals,” Bonko said. “Being president means that you get to own being part of that community. … You get to work with your community to determine what your community needs from its health care provider.”

She sees a correlation between the dynamics of the community and the types of health care the local hospital should be offering.

“You look at what’s coming up in your community,” Bonko said. “If, all of a sudden, there was a development that had senior living in it, perhaps you need to look at your program for geriatrics. … You also want to make sure you’re not oversaturating. … You have to be a viable business, too, but you make yourself an important part of the community.”

Bonko likes that the hospital is new; it opened two years ago near Hamlin.

“What a neat opportunity for that community involvement,” she said. “It’s building around you. Not only do you have a new hospital, but a new hospital in a new community.”

THE SUPPORT PIECE

At age 4, Bonko was playing doctor, using her mother’s stethoscope to perform checkups on the family dog.

“I knew early on that I wanted to care, whether it was … I’m going to take care of people, I’m going to take care of animals, I’m going to take care of trees,” she said. “And then you realize your aptitude is taking care of living things — and for me that was health care. I love the support piece of it.”

Bonko’s memories of 3 a.m. trips to the hospital with her mother include sitting at the operating suite desk and befriending her mom’s coworkers.

“They watched me grow up,” she said. “I grew up in hospitals, and I’m comfortable in that setting. It feels like home.

“It was always interesting to me, because no matter the situation, they were all good to each other,” Bonko said. “The nurses were good to each other, the doctors were all good to each other; it was never a scary place to go to. When I got older, I thought I could really make a difference with this.”

TWO DECADES WITH ORLANDO HEALTH

“Orlando Health Horizon West Hospital is in the heart of a rapidly growing community,” said Philip Koovakada, senior vice president Orlando Health South Central region and president, Orlando Health — Health Central Hospital. “Maggie has the right experience and drive to match that growth inside the hospital by providing additional services and programs that will benefit our patients.”

Bonko began her career with Orlando Health 18 years ago as a nursing recruiter in the human resources department.

“I recruited nurses to come work for our health system and loved it,” she said. “You’re doing great stuff; you’re getting to help select people who are going to take care of your patients. … It’s a big job.”

She held that position for about a year before being selected to lead the department for four years starting in 2010. She also led the same department at Orlando Health — Health Central Hospital. She enjoyed that job and being able to hire for departments ranging from medical records to nutrition to physicians.

Bonko became director of human resources in 2010 for both Orlando Health Dr. Phillips and Orlando Health — Health Central Hospital.

“I got there, and within a hot minute of me being (at Dr. Phillips) the president said, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up? Do you want to be president? Head of HR?’

“I knew early on that I wanted to care, whether it was … I’m going to take care of people, I’m going to take care of animals, I’m going to take care of trees.”

“I started getting added to every meeting on the operation side,” she said. “The team would let me tag along to everything. I had one-onones with the (chief financial officer), we would print off financials. It was just a great and wonderful opportunity. And one of the things about our organization that hasn’t changed in 18 years is I haven’t had anyone tell me no to a question. ... I’ve never had anyone say, ‘I don’t have the time to teach you.’”

She held several administration roles, including administrator of allied health and operational support for both Orlando Health South Seminole and Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips hospitals. She served as assistant vice president and chief operating officer of South Seminole for the past five years, where she led the development and growth of the cardiac service line, as well as the construction and programming efforts of the new Orlando Health Lake Mary Hospital.

HAVING A VISION

Bonko said her vision for the Horizon West hospital staff is simple.

“The health care vision for the team here is to want to work here,” she said. “When they come here, it feels like a family. ... When your team is well cared for, it will translate into how well your patients feel cared for. This facility received the Modern Healthcare Best Place to Work in the last year, so we will survey again in April.”

Brian Wetzel, who preceded Bonko as president, made a lateral move within the Orlando Health system to St. Cloud Hospital.

“I would say that 90% of nurses are empaths, and they always care for someone else first,” Bonko said. “Think of the nurses you know. … That’s a calling.”

For Bonko, friendliness and kindness are the keys to happiness — on both a personal and career level.

“I have found that I get joy by saying hello to everybody,” Bonko said. “I think you have to speak of kindness (and be) kind to your team. … Your leadership shouldn’t be a scary place to go … if you need direction.”

Bonko earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Capella University. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management. She serves on the board of the Sharing Center and the Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools and is a past board member of the Central Florida Zoo and Habitat for Humanity.

“And then the thing I’m probably most proud of is my fellowship from American College of Healthcare Executives,” Bonko said. “It’s a threeyear commitment to education specific to health care, and then you also have to be endorsed by people who already have the designation and then you take the test.”

When not at the hospital, Bonko enjoys spending time with her husband, Michael, whom she calls “the best husband on earth,” and their feisty cat, Byron.

— Maggie Bonko

Amy Quesinberry

Maggie Bonko expects the growth of the community to dictate the types of health care components offered by Orlando Health Horizon West.

Sundays: 9:45 AM All Ages www.FBCWG.org

Starke Lake Baptist Church

Pastor Jeff Pritchard PO Box 520 611 W Ave., Ocoee (407) 656-2351 www.StarkeLakeBaptist.org

Victory Baptist Church & Christian Academy 1601 A.D. Mims Rd, Ocoee FL 34761 (407) 656-3097 www.VBCOCOEE.com Sunday: 11AM & 6 PM Wednesday: 7 PM

CHURCH OF GOD

Ocoee Church of God

Pastor Thomas Odom 1105 N. Lakewood Ave.,Ocoee (407) 656-8011

EPISCOPAL

Church of the Messiah 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden Sunday: 8, 9:30, & 11 AM., 4PM (French & Creole), 7 PM www.ChurchoftheMessiah.com

METHODIST

First United Methodist www.fumcwg.org 125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden (407) 656-1135 Services: 9 AM Traditional 10:45 AM Contemporary Also viewable on YouTube

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Purpose Church Orlando 13640 W Colonial Dr. Ste 110, Winter Garden (407) 654-9661 Sunday Service: 10:05 AM Sunday Brazilian Service: 7 PM Saturday Service: 6 PM www.purposechurchorlando.org

West Orange Christian Church 7325 Conroy Windermere Rd, Orlando (407) 299-2092 Sunday Service:10:30AM www.woccorlando.org

The shows must go on

After changes in leadership canceled the fall season, live performances are returning to the Garden Theatre in 2023.

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Following a 2022-23 season shortened by controversy and changes in leadership, Garden Theatre is returning in downtown Winter Garden with a recently announced collaboration with Florida-based Victory Productions to launch a new theatrical season of live performances beginning this year.

The season will open later this month with “Rock of Ages,” followed by “Next to Normal” and “Something Rotten!” The season will close in early summer with “Dreamgirls.”

The theater halted producing live performances in August to allow its board and staff to conduct an internal review of operations from a strategic growth perspective. As part of this work, the theater established partnerships with the Edyth Bush Institute and Arts Consulting Group.

Keith Smith, interim vice chair of the theater’s board of directors, said the current goal is to get art back on the stage.

“What has been so difficult about this pause is that it has had an impact on the community, the community’s ability to come and see great art, the ability for artists in our region to come and practice their art — all of that has stopped,” he said. “My goal, after we get art on the stage, is to get back to that thriving organization that is so well known for what we do here in West Orange County. That we can continue to excel and push the envelope to challenge thinking but do it even better than before and to continue to do it in a way that has the Garden Theatre seen as an arts organization that’s leading the way in Central Florida.”

COMING TO A CLIMAX Turnover in highly visible roles at the Garden Theatre has had some questioning the future direction for the entertainment company.

In June 2022, Artistic Director Joseph Walsh resigned after three years at the venue. The theater then announced former Artistic Director Rob Winn Anderson would return to the role on an interim basis until a permanent replacement was selected. However, Anderson left the post after only one week.

The theater’s board chair at the time, Allie Braswell, said the nonprofit’s governing body was surprised at Walsh’s resignation, and the news unleashed a wave of questions throughout the community.

However, Walsh’s resignation was not the only one.

Executive Director Nao Tsurumaki departed in the spring of 2020, and his interim replacement, Melissa Mason Braillard, left after two months. In November 2020, Elisa SpencerKaplan was hired in the new role of managing director but departed after 13 months. Board Chair Wes CatlettMiller stepped down in December 2021; Braswell took up the position in March but left to focus on his campaign for the Florida Legislature.

Shortly after Walsh’s departure, the theater announced the cancellation of the organization’s upcoming show “A

Bronx Tale.”

In addition, two board members representing the Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy Forum resigned their shared seat on the board.

At the end of July, the theatre announced the cancellation of “PAPER THIN.”

In August, the board of directors halted all theater programming to shift its focus on the theater’s organizational health.

SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS

Smith, who started as a facilitator for the board before the theater opened, said after Walsh had moved on, a number of concerns were raised from staff members.

“We had a number of listening sessions to try and understand, and I think throughout that process, we recognized that we needed to just take a look at how our organization was structured, how we were operating, and really be thoughtful about how we were going to be moving forward rather than just back filling open positions,” Smith said. “We wanted to really make sure the people we had and the goals we had were helping to support our mission, vision and direction. There was nothing more important for us … to make sure that the structure and the environment of the organization were the best they could be.”

Smith said several listening sessions were held with board and staff members together. One of the asks from staff members was that the theater work with Edyth Bush.

Edyth Bush has prioritized conducting an organizational assessment that identifies theater board’s leadership strengths, challenges, opportunities for growth and how to grow successfully.

Smith said both groups, Edyth Bush and Arts Consulting, started off their work with a survey.

The Edyth Bush study surveyed current and former board members and current and former staff members. Smith said those results will be received by the theater shortly, and the results will kick off the work with the organization.

Smith said Arts Consulting recently kicked off its work with a subgroup and advisory committee to help with the process.

Arts Consulting Group is recognized for its expertise in arts and culture, and promoting strategic and operational best practices. Its work will assist in developing, evaluating and creating a vision and structure for the theater that supports important strategic alliances.

“We felt like engaging with them to help us inform our paths forward was the right thing to do,” Smith said. “We really felt like getting that outside perspective was going to be beneficial and that they could maybe bring voices to the table that we weren’t hearing.”

The biggest revelation so far: Communication is key.

“We recognize that there were gaps in what was being said and what wasn’t being said, and I think we could have done a better job on that piece of it,” Smith said. “The other piece that

we’ve learned is that we need to focus on rebuilding trust with our board and our staff. Communication is a foundation to building trust, and if communication isn’t happening, then it breaks down from there.”

Brian Fallon, operations manager at Garden Theatre, has been at the theater since its opening, beginning as a volunteer. Fallon agreed open and clear communication between the board and staff is paramount.

“As a leader now in the staff, I make it my point to make sure that I am not the funnel for the staff for the board,” he said. “I am letting the board communicate directly to the staff. It’s all about respectful, honest and open communication.”

However, some still have concerns about the Garden Theatre and its decisions.

Ron Miles, who has participated in three shows at the theater and worked with Walsh on “Parade,” said he is not interested in auditioning for any of the newly announced shows.

“My opinion is that the board has continued to operate in a secretive and non-transparent way, to the point where they have removed any public information from the website about who even is currently on the board,” Miles said. “To my knowledge, they

have made no effort towards any kind of accountability for their part in the chain of events, nor have they to my knowledge reached out to make amends with any of the persons or communities that their decisions have impacted. I don’t believe, personally, that the Garden Theatre board has done anything to regain my trust or to take any accountability, and as such I have no desire to work for them.”

Smith said one of the projects the theater had on its list prior to the pandemic was to redesign the website, and it has kicked off that work again. He said the website has been broken down to what is critical for people to know with shows. Although board and staff members are currently not listed, he said those pages will be reintroduced.

“Even if maybe I did audition for a show, I would be worried about the impact working there might have on my ability to successfully audition at many other venues in the area,” Miles said. “They are watching, and whether or not there is any formal black list, I have no doubt that anybody whose names appear on the cast or crew of those four shows will be received poorly by the rest of the local theater community. That is what the Garden Theatre has lost — all for the

wont of not hiring a managing director in a reasonable period of time. It is ridiculous how tragically avoidable the entire situation was.”

Smith said another big focus during the production pause was diversity, inclusion and equity.

“When I said we’ve changed the community, I mean we’ve changed the community in many different ways,” he said. “When I think about where we started and the types of shows we had on our stage and the reactions that we would get from our audience and where we are today, we have gone down a very long path of changing a community. Changing perceptions and what people are seeing, talking about and thinking. We have very slowly but surely introduced programming that has stretched people and where we’ve been as an organization. Are we finished with that? No. Is that something that’s imperative for us to continue to do? Absolutely. And will it be part of our future? Absolutely. Not only for the art that’s on our stage but for the performers and production teams that practice their art here, for the staff that works here, for the board. It should not be in addition to. Diversity, inclusion and equity should be part of how we operate.”

Fallon agreed, saying the values are

part of the theater’s DNA and drive every decision made.

“We want the Garden Theatre to be someplace that no matter your race, your creed, color, identity, beliefs, ability, will have a safe space to come and enjoy shows,” he said. “I just want patrons to come in, especially of all abilities. I have a disability, and it’s very important for me to make sure that our theater is accessible for everybody. That everybody can come and enjoy a show, maybe get something out of it, regardless, have a wonderful time here and escape from the reality that is what our reality is right now. I just want to see people in here enjoy amazing entertainment on stage.”

A NEW BEGINNING

Despite varying opinions, Smith and Fallon both said their love for the theater is what keeps them continuing on the journey.

“It feeds my heart,” Smith said. “I never came to downtown Winter Garden until I got involved with the Garden Theatre. The staff here is phenomenal, the product here is phenomenal, and it’s one of my favorite boards I’ve ever been on. The venue itself is incredible. The first time anyone ever comes through the doors, they’re always like, ‘Wow, this is really nice and it’s so unique.’ They fall in love with it. I think it’s the attention to the detail when the building was originally even built to try to have it be representative of what it used to be. I think that speaks to people a lot. The fact that we’ve changed the community, we’ve changed the face of Plant Street. The Garden has been a key driver of the revival that occurred in Winter Garden. We are an anchor. I love that we’re able to showcase what a small nonprofit arts organization can do and the impact we’ve had on this community and beyond.”

Fallon said not only does he love the space but also the people who perform at the theater.

“I’ve seen all of the shows, as well as the weddings and the other life celebrations that we have here,” he said.

“I’ve always said that if the Garden Theatre was in the middle of a field somewhere, it wouldn’t be as special as it is. Because of its location in the heart of historic downtown Winter Garden, the fact that it is a historic building, it’s the hub for this city. The

volunteers, the patrons, all make this such an amazing and welcoming place to come and see a show.”

THE SLATE OF SHOWS

The first show of 2023 — “Rock of Ages” — replaces the planned “Stick Fly.”

“Even in a ‘normal year,’ our season can adjust,” Smith said. “Sometimes, we lose the rights to shows, sometimes something changes in the calendar, and we have to shuffle our season around. That’s more of our normal practice than out of the ordinary. The ‘Rock of Ages’ change-out was really in response to us having to think differently about holidays rolling into the new year and trying to fill a gap between the holidays and the next production.”

“Something Rotten,” “Next to Normal” and “Dreamgirls” already were part of the theater’s season, determined by the artistic team and approved by the board. Fallon said “Rock of Ages” was a production new partner Victory Productions wanted to stage. Victory is a fullservice entertainment company that specializes in concert promotions, production of live theater and special events. Part of the proceeds from productions benefit several programs that serve underprivileged children in local communities and abroad.

“While Victory Productions has a national clientele, Central Florida is our home, and we look forward to being a part of Garden Theatre’s new focus and direction bringing quality production that audiences have become accustomed to seeing,” Fernando Varela, president of Victory Productions, said.

GARDEN THEATRE

160 W. Plant St., Winter Garden PHONE: (407) 877-GRDN (4736) WEBSITE: gardentheatre.org

UPCOMING PRODUCTIONS

n “Rock of Ages” Jan. 25 through Feb. 26

n “Something Rotten!” April 21 through May 21

n “Next to Normal” June 1-30

n “Dreamgirls” July 7 through Aug. 6

BUY TICKETS

n “Rock of Ages”: bit.ly/3VK4Lxw

Dr. Martin Luther

Head Coach Jay Welsh & Kingdom staff has over 75 years of collective coaching experience

Steven Miller Photography

A day in the life

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

If you are walking down the street in Ocoee — and you run into Mayor Rusty Johnson — he’ll likely greet you with a smile and maybe even strike up a conversation.

“I love talking to people,” he said. “You’ll be surprised about the people you can meet when you are open to talking to them.”

At City Hall, in downtown Ocoee, at a coffee shop or even at Target, Johnson will stop and talk to residents whenever they approach him, and that’s one of the things he loves about the way local government works — or at least the way he loves to serve his city.

“If you walk (into City Hall) to see me, if you want to talk to me, I am going to talk to you,” he said. “I was in Target the other day and a lady came up to me (because she wanted to talk), and of course, I am going to talk to her. We spoke for about half an hour.”

A DAILY ROUTINE

In the seven years he’s served as mayor for the city of Ocoee, Johnson has developed a routine that works for him — even though sometimes it may be altered by unexpected events.

Usually, he wakes up at 7:30 a.m., prepares himself — and his wife, Marilyn — a nice cup of coffee. With coffee in hand, Johnson sits at home for a while and talks to his wife about the things that are lined up in his schedule for that day.

“I go through my emails and texts to see what I have to do,” he said. “If there is something really important that has to be done, I work on that.”

Even though every day ends up being different, Johnson usually leaves his house at around 8:30 a.m. and takes time out of his every-day routine to head down to City Hall, where he gets the daily scoop of what’s taking place there — and in

FAMILY FUN FACTS

Rusty Johnson has bought all his grandchildren who are older than 16 a used car for their 16th birthday. He has told all of them they need to get a job so they learn the importance of what it means to earn a living.

He has told all his grandchildren they must seek a college education.

Johnson and his wife, Marilyn, have five children and 11 grandchildren.

Johnson was a single father when he met his wife prior to marrying her in 1974. His wife also was a single mother. The Johnsons have three children from their marriage.

the city. Sometimes, he’ll get together with City Manager Robert Frank to talk about potential future projects.

At about 2:30 p.m., Johnson usually heads back home to have lunch in a family setting. There, he listens to music for a little while he figures out what he will need to do — or where he will need to go — next.

Talking to developers takes a part of Johnson’s days more often than not, as he gets constant requests for meetings where potential future businesses may be discussed.

“I don’t tell them what they are supposed to do, but I sit down with them, and I listen to them and what they want to do (for the community),” he said.

As mayor, Johnson’s main goal on a daily basis is helping people and making sure they are happy living in Ocoee.

“I meet with people who are looking (to get approval) for permits,” he said. “(Whether) that is permits for their fence, building their house and stuff like that.”

A PASSION FOR SERVING

Despite what some may think, Johnson was not always involved in politics. In fact, he developed a passion for serving his community later in life.

His first candidature for commissioner of the city of Ocoee came as a result of an interaction with a neighbor when Johnson saw his neighbor’s truck parked on his yard and a few of his sprinklers broken.

“I went to City Hall to talk to the (back then) city manager,” he said. “He said (I didn’t) pay 25 cents worth of taxes, so I went home to my wife and told her, ‘I am going to run for office.’”

A city of Ocoee resident since he was 10 years old, Johnson has seen his city grow exponentially with the passing of the years to the point where he feels proud of the way the city functions.

“Our city has progressed and grown as we have brought in more people,” he said. “You grow along with the people who move here (from elsewhere). You don’t want to sit still; you want to make it so you move forward with everybody else. You learn from other people, their heritage, their lives and what they do.”

One of the things that allow Johnson to feel pride in what his years of serving his community have done for Ocoee is how the workforce opportunities have expanded as more and more job openings become available thanks to the incorporation of newer businesses within the city limits.

“Before, you had to go to Winter Garden to find a job,” he said. “Now, (people) can get jobs here and live in our town, raise (their) children and maybe one day, (their) children may have a job here, too.”

He says this from experience given that when he was 14 years old, he worked as a bagger in the old WinnDixie formerly located in Winter Garden, where he spent four years until he graduated high school.

It would be hard-pressed to find another person who loves his community as much as Mayor Rusty Johnson loves Ocoee.

Andrea Mujica

Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson enjoys riding around town in his pickup.

IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY

Johnson’s wife, Marilyn, has been a huge supporter of his political career since the beginning.

His wife is a huge help when it comes to everything campaignrelated, and she even worries on a daily about his temper, as she knows his day revolves around talking to people. The reason? Johnson suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, which originated from the two years he spent serving in the military during the Vietnam War.

“I’ve seen things that you won’t see in your everyday life,” he said. “My problem is, I have a short temper, so my wife — bless her heart — she reminds me every day (to stay calm).”

After seven years in office, serving as the mayor of Ocoee, and his previous years as commissioner for districts 1 and 3 (from 1986-1997 and 1999-2015, respectively) Johnson said the one thing he has learned — and the most crucial one when it comes to effectively executing his duty with the community — is patience.

“I don’t have a lot of it, but I try,” he said. “(There’s some stuff) that tick me off. … I can get mad really quick; sometimes I take things to heart. … But, I know exactly how to treat people; my parents taught me that. I want people to know me.”

GOALS FOR THE CITY

Johnson plans on running for office again this year; he would love to serve the Ocoee community for another term.

Born in Savannah, Georgia, Johnson moved in 1965 to Oakland when he was 9 years old. He lived there for a year before moving to the Ocoee area at age 10. Today, he sees the city of

Ocoee as the place that saw him grow — and the place where his family has established its roots.

“I want it to be a place where citizens are proud of the kind of town we have,” he said.

Part of his vision for the city is to expand the downtown area and bring more businesses, such as DG Doughnuts.

“To do that, we have to have people living in downtown,” he said.

Hence, Johnson has hopes — and is looking forward — to develop condos in the surroundings of the downtown area similar to those that were built in Winter Garden. He also wishes to add a parking lot space to be able to fit all the people without creating any cluster in traffic.

“My thought process is that we have to grow all the time, because we can’t sit still,” he said.

Over the years of marriage with his wife — and through his love for music — Johnson has realized music brings people together and helps create everlasting memories with family and loved ones.

Because of this, he analyzed how the Ocoee Lakeshore area could serve as a place where families could gather and experience beautiful moments together.

“Our lake is our selling point,” he said. “If you put an amphitheater there, you could have live music there on Friday nights and have people listen to live music. You can even have kids running around down there, bring your blankets, sit outside.”

However, whether or not he gets elected during this upcoming campaign process, Johnson will remain in Ocoee, enjoying life with his wife and his family.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said.

—

OWest Orange On the Go is the only podcast that delivers hyperlocal community news, entertainment and information about West Orange and Southwest Orange counties.

Whether you’re on your morning run or bike ride, driving the kids to school or preparing dinner, this weekly show will keep you informed with the latest headlines in Winter Garden, Windermere, Horizon West, Ocoee, Oakland and the surrounding communities.

Listen to the latest episode at OrangeObserver.com Sponsorships

“You don’t want to sit stale; you want to make it so you move forward with everybody else. You learn from other people, their heritage, their lives and what they do.”

Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson

host// AUSTIN ARTHUR

A new chapter

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Horizon West residents will welcome yet another major development to the rapidly expanding community with the addition of a new Orange County Library System branch.

On June 9, 2022, the OCLS Board of Trustees approved leases for new library branches in both Horizon West and Lake Nona.

The library signed a ground lease with Orange County in 2022 for the design and construction of the library in the Horizon West Regional Park.

The branch location will offer 20,000 square feet of library space with meeting rooms, study rooms and OCLS’s first planned outdoor events area.

The project, led by architect Borelli & Partners and contractor HJ High Construction, is aiming for a spring/ summer 2025 opening, according to Steve Powell, director/CEO at OCLS.

“The library had been looking for development opportunities for a branch in this fast-growing community for several years,” Powell said.

“Due to the creative thinking and collaboration with Orange County, the library was able to acquire space to build in one of the most beautiful locations in Horizon West. We are thankful to our active partners Commissioner Nicole Wilson, Mayor Jerry Demings and Orange County Parks and Recreation for helping OCLS make this dream library become a reality.”

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

A plan for a Horizon West library branch has been in the works for many years.

In fact, OCLS Board of Trustees’ meeting minutes reflect discussions about a Horizon West branch since at least 2016.

Since March 2018, Powell said OCLS has been searching for affordable land to purchase or retail space to lease in both Horizon West and Lake Nona.

In April 2018, library staff shared with the library’s Board of Trustees that both areas of the county needed a branch, but the library’s branch expansion budget only allocated enough funding to begin construction of one branch at a time.

The Horizon West project began to make initial leeway during the November 2020 Board of Trustees meeting, where the board approved a resolution selecting the Horizon West “East Parcel,” located at the intersection of Tiny Road and Hamlin Groves Trail, as the preferred location for the branch.

In January 2021, the library board voted to commit to purchase a parcel of land at the northeast corner of the future Horizon West Regional Park. This action allowed OCLS staff to proceed with negotiations for the land purchase.

However, plans were interrupted temporarily when residents in Lake

Nona sought to have OCLS build a branch in their community.

Although the library only had funding to build one new branch at a time, Orange County and city of Orlando officials collaborated to bring a proposal to the OCLS board to suggest a possible path to funding two locations simultaneously.

The county worked with the board to include the Horizon West branch in the design of the Horizon West Regional Park, and the city of Orlando agreed to include the Lake Nona branch in the government center it has planned for Dowden Road.

The library signed a ground lease with Orange County in 2022 for the design and construction of a library in the Horizon West Regional Park.

As the District 1 county commissioner, Nicole Wilson was essential to the process as she served on the Orange County Library District Governing Board and approved the annual budget.

“Over the past several years, we have closely monitored expenses, while saving money toward branch construction,” Powell said. “We are now in a place where we can actively work on both locations at the same time.”

HORIZON WEST HOME

OCLS agreed to design the 11-acre campus, which includes 1.25 acres for the 20,000-square-foot library building, shared parking, an access road, walkways, retention ponds and space for a future multi-use facility.

The library will have three large meeting rooms. One room will be 1,500 square feet, and the other two will be 750 square feet.

“Our goal is that the rooms will be able to be combined if needed into one large meeting room of 3,000 square feet, making it flexible enough to

accommodate larger groups when requested,” Erin Sullivan, chief marketing and public relations officer at OCLS, said. “The meeting rooms will also have access to an outdoor area.”

In addition, the branch plans to have two small study rooms, of 400 square feet each, and two training rooms where the library can host classes and events.

Perhaps one of the most special highlights of the branch is it will have an outdoor stage with a grassy seating area to host large events and outdoor programming. It will be the first branch to feature such an expansive outside area dedicated to library events.

OCLS officials said they have had several meetings with Borrelli & Partners and HJ High to discuss library programmatic requirements, design and LEED certification.

Because the library will be located within a county park, OCLS also has been working with Orange County Parks & Recreation for approval on a site plan. Currently, the architect team is working on the design plan.

“We are in the initial stages of site layout and building design, and we have completed the first review toward achieving LEED Silver,” Powell said. “We’re expecting the branch to cost around $22.5 million, but due to supply-chain issues and wildly fluctuating construction costs, it is hard to determine an accurate number.”

MORE THAN BOOKS

Danielle King, chief branch officer overseeing the project, said the residents of Horizon West have been supportive of the library.

“We are excited that we are able to build a branch in this amazing community,” King said. “The Horizon West library will be designed to take

advantage of some of the beautiful outdoor elements of the park, blending innovation with nature. … The location of the library in the Horizon West Regional Park will create synergy between the park and library, which will generate new opportunities for the community to learn, grow, and connect.”

As time has progressed, libraries have evolved to be about more than just checking out books.

As the needs of the community have changed, Sullivan said OCLS has adapted its services to meet the new needs.

“As more people turn to using e-readers and audiobooks, we have built a robust catalog of digital titles that can be streamed or downloaded to a Kindle or smartphone,” she said. “I use my Apple Homepod all the time

“The Horizon West library will be designed to take advantage of some of the beautiful outdoor elements of the park, blending innovation with nature. … The location of the library in the Horizon West Regional Park will create synergy between the park and library, which will generate new opportunities for the community

learn, grow, and connect.”

to listen to audiobooks I’ve checked out through the library. We also offer online access to magazines and periodicals through digital services, such as Pressreader — if you’ve been on a JetBlue flight, this is the same service they offer, so you can read magazines in flight.”

In addition, as the demographics of the community are changing, the library offers a growing number of language learning offerings.

There are in-person classes for people who want to learn basic Spanish, as well as classes for people for whom English is a second language. Community members who wish to learn a language on their own can download the Mango Languages or Rocket Languages apps, log in with their library card and learn whatever language they choose at their own speed.

Libraries also have come to serve as gathering spaces, where people can come together to meet, learn or just participate in unique experiences that don’t cost anything.

Sullivan said the library hosts events, including author events, cooking demonstrations, book clubs, sewing and knitting classes, tech classes and craft activities for kids and adults.

Carissa Hickok-Bergeron, Horizon West resident, said she brings her 3-year-old son to the Winter Garden and Windermere library branches multiple times a week.

“I believe our new branch will positively impact our community by creating opportunities to learn, grow and even meet other members of our community,” she said. “My son currently participates in library programs and activities such as yoga, crafts, story time, American Sign Language class and the pre-kindergarten readiness program. He completed the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge through our library system before turning 3 years old. We check out several books each week.”

The mother said one of her favorite parts about OCLS is meeting other families.

“Our new branch will add a closer location for my family, making it even more convenient to pick out books and participate in fun, educational programs,” she said. “Creating a love of reading but allowing for connection within the community and fun learning experiences has been wonderful for my family.”

Recently, the library also has made some changes to make sure they are accessible and user friendly. For example, in October, the system joined a growing number of libraries across the country that have eliminated overdue fines for materials that are late.

“Life happens, and we know that, so we don’t want there to be shame or penalties for using the library and returning a book that’s overdue,” Sullivan said.

This year, OCLS will turn 100 years old, and the library is hosting a kickoff event Saturday, Jan. 7, to launch a year’s worth of special events and programs that mark the centennial year.

The library will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony with elected officials from around the county to help the system rededicate the library to the community for the next 100 years that morning.

Those who wish to find out more about the event, and others, can visit ocls.info/100.

WE GO THE EXTRA MILE for

While

Financial Wellness

336 E Plant St., Winter Garden, FL 34787 www.laportefinancial.com PHONE: (407) 395-9720 FAX: 866-250-4831

13, 2023 Successful

scale

A new Orange County Library System branch currently is being planned in between Horizon West’s Town Center and the village of Bridgewater, adjacent to the future Horizon West Regional Park.

to

— Danielle King, chief branch officer

Courtesy photo

The 20,000-square-foot library will sit on 1.25 acres.

Developers expect to break ground in Ocoee to begin construction on Ocoee Regional Sports Complex, the second-largest such complex in the country.

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

Ocoee residents and families from all around the world will have a new space to gather during travel baseball, softball and even Little League events during the 52 weeks of the year.

During its Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, meeting, the Ocoee City Commission approved the memorandum of understanding between Montierre Development PLLC and the city of Ocoee, which soon will bring the country’s second largest regional sports and entertainment complex to the area.

“We found the city very accepting of this process, and they worked very well with us, so we thought it was a great partnership,” Montierre Development founder and CEO Jaime Douglas said.

THE COMPLEX

The complex will be known as the Ocoee Regional Sports Complex and will consist of 16 baseball fields, nine batting cages, multi-purpose fields, a recreation park and playground areas, a splash pad area and a welcome center.

“So, the unique portion of this

ABOUT MONTIERRE

complex and what makes it the second largest complex in the country is the fact that each field can be turned into smaller fields such as softball or Little League-sized fields,” Douglas said. “So, the complex is actually a 48-field complex if you max it out, so that gives us the opportunity to — if there are teams of every age — accommodate that within the complex.”

The complex is designed to accommodate the country’s massive travel baseball industry.

“Travel baseball is a great starting point as far as travel sports are concerned,” Douglas said. “If you look at some of the biggest sporting complexes, as part as travel sports as a whole, the initial sport for the complexes that is built is a travel baseball facility.

“Then, it expands from there. That is a great possibility for this area, as well,” Douglas said. “There is room for expansion. There is interest in expansion, and this is just the start for what the city has the potential to become as far as with the travel sport industry. Baseball is typically a great cornerstone to create that situation.”

“I can attest to the popularity of travel baseball for the youth,” Commissioner Richard Firstner said. “So, I can see this generating the interest of

Montierre Development provides a series of services within the construction industry and is involved with its projects in the pre-construction, construction and post-construction phases.

“The idea was always to move into development because we felt that we had a vision of developing properties and maximizing potential in properties,” Douglas said. “We felt like a great way to work our way up into development is to start in the construction road and tap into all the information available.”

The company has worked in myriad projects around the country with diverse companies such as the existing tenant build out and renovation of the Sonny’s The Carwash Factory in Tamarac; the interior build out of The Dog Stop in Stuart, the interior build out of two Aldi stores, one in Homestead and Jupiter; and the build out of a Hilton Home2 Suites in Pompano Beach; among others.

a lot of people in the country, people spend money on this like there is no tomorrow.”

The project, the biggest in Montierre Development’s history, also will include a mixed-use center that will be located next to the sports complex. It will consist of two hotels with about 400 rooms, seven retail or restaurant buildings, about 20,000 square feet of office space and two parking garages with up to 1,600 parking spaces.

The development will combine what is formally identified as the Rogers Property located on OcoeeApopka Road with the lands located adjacent to it currently known as the Chevron Property.

“When we purchased the Rodgers Property, the intent was a sports field; we had just not been able to do it,” Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen said. “But … the plan when we bought (the property) was (to use it) for that purpose, so this is exciting to me.”

The construction process will be carried out by two management teams. One will focus solely on the construction of the complex infrastructure, while the other team will manage the commercial — and the multi-use — side of the project.

“As far as contractors, we will have multiple contractors on-site,” Douglas said. “We have met with a few local contractors and discussed where we go as far as the invitation for proposals. So, we are excited to have the possibility to have this built by local contractors and put together a good team on both sides of the aisle.”

Even though Montierre Development has not made a decision yet as to which contracting companies will carry out the work, it is expected that most of the work fall on the shoulders of local workers.

In total, the project will bring about 1,096 full-time job opportunities to the residents of the city of Ocoee.

BENEFITS FOR THE CITY

The sports complex will sit on 148 acres along Ocoee-Apopka Road and will bring a number of benefits to the city of Ocoee, such as an influx of new jobs that will provide local work opportunities for city residents.

“It will bring (a lot of) new jobs,” Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson said. “This kind of entertainment — it’s youth sports. These kids are doing travel baseball. … It will bring youth activities, (and) that’s good, because kids need to have stuff to do.”

Once the complex and facilities are open to the public, there is an estimated revenue stream the city will receive as an annual percentage in profits.

“There will be a profit-sharing layout that will be in place that could, depending on the capacity of the hotels and parking garages, be between $3 million and $6 million yearly for no less than 20 years,” Douglas said. “That would be an adjusted revenue just for the profit standing for the city.” Moreover, the city of Ocoee will receive an increased tax revenue, which will act as payback from the Rogers Property.

“That will be around $1.6 million in property tax for the whole complex and also the economic impact,” Douglas said. “If you take what a typical individual spends on each child or family member, then the economic impact can range from $500 million to $900 million yearly in the city of Ocoee and surrounding areas. Any (city) that gets an economic driver such as this will be very happy, and (that) will create a great community basis and allow the city to grow in a positive manner.”

ACCESS POINTS/TRAFFIC IMPACT

As part of the construction project, Montierre Development will provide enhancement of the environment located within the property and the infrastructure as well as the widening of Ocoee-Apopka and Fullers Cross roads to alleviate any traffic impacts that the surplus of people may bring to the city.

“The complex will have a minimum of four entrance and exit points,” Douglas said. “There will be three main entrance and exits points that will tie into the surrounding exits for State Road 429. Also, we are going to try to have as many as possible (and) we’d like to tie one in on the east side of the property as well and that would be determined in the design phase.”

All three exits are expected to connect with S.R. 429 to encourage drivers to use the highway rather than residential streets.

“This facility will have the potential to be maxed out, as far as participants, for 52 weeks out of the year,” Douglas said. “That’s why our main emphasis is not only to create a clean and safe environment for the participants … (but also) put together the best possible route for individuals to enter the complex and get to the (S.R.) 429 and the main highway system.”

The development will come at no cost for the city. The only request from the commissioners was for the developers to hire local contractors and local professionals to bring more jobs to the city.

The project is set to break ground in late 2023 and is scheduled and expected to be completed in 2025.

Home turf

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Come next football season, Windermere High School students, parents, staff and families might be getting their longtime dream — a football stadium on campus.

The school’s off-campus football stadium — built more than a mile down the road from the campus — has seen a multitude of complications since it opened in 2018.

Parents say the problems — including lack of parking, insufficient seating in the stadium and safety concerns in the event of bad weather — all were anticipated before the stadium was built.

Now, those problems are being addressed, with Orange County District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson and Orange County School Board Member for District 4 Pam Gould both saying the county and the district seem to be on the same page for the first time in years.

The goal: Bring the stadium, cur-

rently located at Deputy Scott Pine Community Park, to Windermere’s campus before the start of the 2023 football season.

“I know I speak for the entire WHS community when I say the prospect of having an on-campus stadium is an exciting next step as we continue to build on our traditions,” WHS Principal Andrew Leftakis said. “The stadium will help foster positive community relations as we showcase student athletes, music programs and special events. Regardless of what happens, we appreciate the work (Superintendent) Dr. (Maria) Vazquez and our elected officials have done to move this project forward.”

BREAKING POINT

In September 2022, the stadium grievances boiled over when Orange County revoked the school’s ability to park on the grass at Scott Pine. Park officials said the grass had sustained significant damage the week before because of the parking and significant rain. That decision forced Windermere to postpone and relocate a game.

Representatives from both Orange County and Orange County Public Schools are working together to bring the Windermere High stadium to campus.

File photos

Two months later, Wilson made a request to revisit the site plan with the hopes of approving an on-campus stadium.

“My goal is to make sure that that happens before the next football season, because otherwise, we’re going to be right back into the same concerns about safety and about transportation,” she said. “Obviously, OCPS is a large governmental entity that we’re not in control of, but the good news is that we are all on the same page, and I think it’s the first time that we’ve all been on the same page. As the county, we’re limited, but one of the things we can do is to try and revisit the county decisions that were made in the past.”

Gould agreed, reiterating the same goal.

“My hope is that the stadium will be back on campus, because it would make it a much safer and better experience for our students and families,” she said. “It would certainly make it a better experience for the community. The road and the park are just

not equipped to hold high school, well-attended games with bands, cheerleaders and everything else. …

My hope is that it’s a win-win-win for everyone. It’s a win for neighborhoods because they get traffic off the streets and make the roads safer. It’s a win for our kids who will have a better high school experience. It’s certainly a win for the families that want to be there to cheer them on.”

Although Wilson said she has had some residents ask if they should start fundraising for the stadium already, she has told them to hold off, because there may be funds available that weren’t accessible the first time around.

“We want to cross those bridges when we get to them,” she said. “I don’t want residents to get too far ahead of the game. I know everyone wants it to be done tomorrow; I know I want it to be done tomorrow. … It is going to take a couple more steps, but it doesn’t take us back to the start.”

Based on Dec. 13, 2022, Orange

County School Board documents, the budgeted cost of the stadium is an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2022-23 capital outlay budget in the amount of $9.3 million from sales tax fund reserves.

The funds will be allocated as follows: $6.8 million to build an on-site football stadium and rubberized track at WHS and $2.5 million to fund the roof replacement costs of the Orange Technical College capital project.

“This will allow the district to relocate high school football and other stadium events to the school’s campus and alleviate safety concerns associated with traffic and inclement weather,” school board officials said. “The roof replacement scope was originally earmarked to be funded from the capital outlay and debt service revenue source; however, the extent of the scope has made this project ineligible for this funding source.”

Even though there will be a public hearing, the stadium is not starting

from scratch.

Wilson said the special exception already was put through when the school was approved, so the amended agreements revise what was already done.

“Looking at the original site plan, we know that there’s enough room, we know that it was sited toward the road, we know there’s a process that will largely be a simplified process because the zoning is already done,” she said. “The school is already there, so we don’t have to restart that whole process. Knowing that the site plan originally submitted is largely what will be used is providing some comfort for people who may have concerns. The plans are no closer to the residential street, no buildings are being torn down, no large structures are being added. The plans would utilize only the space that was originally planned for a stadium to be a stadium and not a practice field.”

Windermere High School, a $93.5 million project, opened in 2017, providing relief to West Orange High, which at the time had about 4,200 students on a campus meant for 3,000.

In 2013, when Scott Boyd served as District 1 county commissioner, OCPS moved forward with a rezoning of 70 acres. That land was purchased years prior by OCPS within the West Windermere Rural Settlement.

Orange County is home to 21 designated Rural Settlement Communities. Boyd said the challenge at the time was a rezoning request for a high school within the settlement.

He said numerous members of the 21 communities, along with residents of the West Windermere Rural Settlement, collectively opposed the now Windermere High being built at its current site. Those in support of the school included West Orange residents who were experiencing overcrowding conditions at West Orange High.

The school site was denied by the Orange County Commission in a 6-1 vote, causing both OCPS and the BCC to meet through two joint board meetings, as well as with a court-appointed mediator to work through many of the issues.

However, the two were not able to come to an agreement, and after a legal appeal, the court granted the school to be built while also allowing Orange County government the ability to add conditions to the approval.

Arguably the most controversial decision: locating the stadium off-site.

The stadium was approved by the County Commission, with OCPS and the county splitting the cost of the facility and its ongoing maintenance through a joint-use agreement. The pair collectively built the stadium, field and track, along with the concession building. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Planners will look at the revised site plan to ensure sure it fits in with what was originally approved. If the project aligns, then it should make its way onto an agenda.

Wilson said she plans to make sure agenda development knows the stadium is a priority and on a timed deadline.

Although there is no timeline for the project — it depends on the pace of permitting — Gould and Wilson both mentioned the possibility of a phased approach for additional facilities, which Wilson said was discussed in her last engagement with the planning division.

“If there’s a way to expedite a piece or part of this in order to be able to hold the games here, we don’t necessarily need all of that at once,” Wilson said. “If there’s a concession stand that still needs to work out plumbing, it shouldn’t hold up the site plan approvals.”

From her understanding, Wilson said there’s nothing on the approval process side of the project that prohibits “us from getting teed up to go for just the regular updated amended plan.”

“It’s not a rezoning; there’s nothing that needs to start from scratch,” she said. “The excitement is to see what happens once this part is done. The goal would be to put that stadium where OCPS has it as part of its

programming for the school so the kids there can have everything that every other high school student has. Right now, I’m so grateful that the principal has been so engaged and involved. He’s a real advocate for the students and families. He has such a heart for the community and making sure that those kids get every part of their high school experience, so any place I can help him with that, I’m going to do it.”

PARENT PERSPECTIVE

Parents say the biggest concern for the stadium always has been safety.

Windermere parents gathered petitions and created a Facebook page, “Move Windermere High School Stadium on campus,” which has recently been changed to “It’s Time - Move Windermere High School Stadium on campus.”

Parent Jane Benner has felt the stadium pains by being part of the original parent group that lobbied for the high school starting in 2012.

Benner currently has a sophomore football player at the school and has a graduate who was in the band and part of the school’s first graduating class. She also has one younger son who plays lacrosse and is set to attend the school in the future.

“We told them all of these things would happen back when these decisions were being made,” she said. “That’s what’s so frustrating about it. But it’s also gratifying, because now we’re finally being heard. This will be the final piece of actually creating a Windermere High School community. I do feel like it’s been fractured up until this point, simply because we don’t have that little piece. When you go to all of these other schools who have a stadium on site, you can feel a significant difference in the atmosphere.”

As one of the parents who originally came to advocate for the Windermere relief school, Wilson is familiar with the frustrations voiced by current parents.

“There was very valid and legitimate desperation just to make sure

that those kids had seats in classrooms, so they were willing to take a scenario where they had to give up something, which was the stadium,” she said.

Kirstine Briggs, who has two sons who play lacrosse at the school, handles corporate sponsorships as part of her role with the school’s booster club and said as soon as she gets the word she is ready to make the stadium happen with any additional funds needed.

“As a parent of an athlete and as vice president of the boosters, our athletes are No. 1 for us,” she said.

“All we want is for our children to have everything that we had. The comfort of a stadium that feels like home, more home spirit, everything right there at their fingertips. They should feel connected. Scott Pine is very nice, but I have seen firsthand the disconnect for the kids. We’re ready to put in the sweat and tears, hopefully not too many, to get this done and to get it all finished as soon as possible.”

Windermere football coach Riki Smith said an on-campus stadium would transform the Wolverine atmosphere.

“The biggest plus would be an anticipated expectation of an unparalleled home coming atmosphere at our home site,” he said.

“School spirit is heightened. There could also be significant benefits for fans — particularly students and families who wouldn’t have to travel to see our team play. Friday night football games will bring in more ticket sales and revenue because of increased attendance and school pride. Increased attendance would increase concessions sales which would directly benefit the athletic department and football team. Having an on-campus stadium would have a stronger level of safety and security as more school staff members would attend football games.

“We have never really enjoyed the comfort of home-field advantage, because both teams are always visitors,” Smith said.

Courtesy photo

An aerial of the existing Windermere High School site.

The next one …

After two years, the Lake Buena Vista football team got their first win in school history. The Vipers hope to build on that success in 2023.

SENIORS WITH COLLEGE OFFERS

n Eternal Burgess: John Melvin University n Saint Desir: Aces Elite (JUCO), Graceland University n Shamrock Estephene: Graceland University n Sam Gilles: Graceland University n Mason Henrinchsen: Carthage College n Josiah McNair: Warner University, Graceland University n Andres Romero: Graceland University n Marcus Santiago: Florida Memorial University

The coaches are still working on getting as many as possible the opportunity to play football at the collegiate level. POSITIONS TO BE FILLED Quarterback Running back

FUN FACT

Coach Joe Rienzi told the founding members of the team during their first practice that he would not cut his hair until they got their first win. Two years — and zero hair cuts — later, he was able to get a much deserved haircut.

MUJICA STAFF WRITER

The Lake Buena Vista football team’s first win did not come easy.

If anything, it was the result of all the hard work and dedication the players put in for two years, and it definitely brought satisfaction — and an unforgettable moment — to everyone in Viper Nation.

“The biggest thing I was most excited about was that the kids got to experience that (feeling),” head football coach Joe Rienzi said. “To see their excitement on their faces was phenomenal, because it sort of validated everything that they knew that we had taught them — that they are good, that they are able to do it, that they are more than capable of beating people. To see their excitement was probably one of the greatest — if not the greatest — moment of my career as a coach.”

The 37-15 win against Colonial High School during the Vipers’ final game of the 2022 football season came a mere two weeks after the boys were able to build momentum during a double-overtime game against Poinciana — a game they were losing 41-14 at the beginning of the fourth quarter and, somehow, tied by scoring 27 points right before the end of regulation.

Even though Lake Buena Vista lost that game 49-47, it was a crucial stepping stone for the boys and the way they saw — and handled — themselves on the football field.

“I think that showed our dedication and that we are going to fight back and not going to lay over to the other team,” said Zackariah Boujidi, junior, defensive end and offensive tackle. “It really made me proud of my team, even though we didn’t win. (That game) showed us our potential. Our coaches would tell us, ‘Guys, if

you have the mentality you can do it; keep fighting,’ but you never truly believe it until you do it yourself.”

MOVING FORWARD

Out of the 48 players in its roster, the team is losing 17 seniors to graduation this spring, which means it will enter into a reconstructing — and restructuring — phase this off-season.

“We are very fortunate, because we had a lot of seniors that had done nothing but show kids how to be leaders — whether it’s in the weight room (or) at practice,” Rienzi said. “We had such a great group of kids in that first senior class. They were not like ‘Oh, these kids are freshmen.’ … They were like ‘You guys are one of us, we are your friends, and we want to make you better.’

“So, that translated into those kids that are currently juniors, that will be seniors, acting that way,” he said. “They are starting to pull the young kids around saying, ‘Hey, let’s go, it’s your time; you’ve got to be ready to play.’ It’s been great to see (that), because it shows that the kids are buying into the things that we want (for the team).”

So, with 17 spots open — three starting receivers, a starting running back and a starting quarterback among those — in the Vipers’ starting lineup, the coaches — and players — have started to prepare the younger players to be ready to lace up their cleats when spring football arrives.

“The offense is going to be a little bit different next year,” Rienzi said. “We’ve got great kids on our campus and a couple underclassmen (who) are itching to be the next guy up in all kind of spots.”

Part of the group of leaders the team is building and preparing for next season include wide receiver Tyson Tran, defensive ends Boujidi and Brady Ruth, and offensive lineman Andy Jolette.

“(Tran) is always willing to do anything that we need to do, and he has a great attitude,” Rienzi said. “He picks up his teammates (when it’s needed) — the kid is great. He is definitely one that we are going to look out for.” Both Ruth and Boujidi work as a team — on and off the football field —

TEAM GOALS

Form good people on and off the field

Get players ready to go out into the real world

pushing each other in the weight room and on the field striving not only to make each other better but also everyone around them.

When it comes to the offensive line, the Vipers are lucky: All their starting players will be returning for the next season.

“Jolette is sort of the leader of that group,” Rienzi said. “He’s the leader in the weight room, he’s always on the field keeping guys going, he’s a vocal leader when he needs to be, and kids really respect him because when he goes out there, he shows (them) how to work and it’s great.”

CAPITALIZING ON THE WIN

Despite their first “W” in school history, the Vipers are fully aware of the constant work and effort it takes to return home with that victory feeling. They are looking forward to capitalizing on that first win and turning their next season into a record-breaking one.

“One of the biggest things (for us), is that we got that monkey off our backs,” Rienzi said. “We got that first win, and now the only thing we need to focus on is getting the next one. After that, we are going to focus on the next one, and then the next one, and that’s all we (will) be doing. … That’s been our driving focus and that’s what going to guide us through our off season and through the spring.”

The boys finally are able to set aside the frustration they had been feeling for the last two seasons — without a single win — which was, in a way, holding them back.

“During the first year, a lot of these guys played, and it was really tough; they didn’t know what they were doing, they were learning,” Rienzi said. “But this season, the kids were

studying film more, asking questions, they could see on film (what they should’ve done or what they shouldn’t have done), and they could see it. You could see their collective frustration with being so close, it’s like you get right there and you just can’t get over the finish line.”

The team is ready to refine its strong points and nurture its weaknesses so players are ready to face their opponents come next season.

Having a committed group of coaches that is versatile, dedicated and patient when it comes to coaching — and teaching — the younger players the art of football, as well as the trials and tribulations of the sport is one of those strong points.

“While (losing some of those older, more experienced guys) gives some opportunity for more kids to get out on the field, some of them may not have much experience, or any experience at the varsity level,” Rienzi said. “And they’ve got to see (that) it’s a little bit faster, the play is a little bit stronger and (that) they got to be a little bit smarter when they are out on the field.”

The Vipers will work on improving their strong running game and their mental focus during games. However, one of the weak links the boys will need to get improve is their confidence.

“We are not very good at finishing off the games (on a high note),” Boujidi said. “We need to work on getting that extra boost of confidence just so we can finish the game, because we’ve been close in a lot of our matches.”

EXPECTATIONS MET AND TO BE MET

When thinking about how to measure expectations, Lake Buena Vista does not measure success based on the team’s record. Instead, it sees how far the boys have progressed by the growth they show not only on the field but also in their lives off the field.

“Trust me, I want to win more than anybody else, but when I look at what we’ve asked of these kids, our team GPA went up,” Rienzi said. “They came (to) us with a set GPA, so we couldn’t do anything about it the first year, but (it) went up from a 2.6 to a 3.0.”

And those classroom successes translate to the team’s primary goal: Help the players achieve their future goals in life.

“The biggest thing that we want to do is use football to get these kids to where they want to go,” Rienzi said. “Whether is college athletics, some kids are learning management skills and maybe some kids want to be coaches in the future because they fall in love (with football).”

LEAVING A LEGACY

As the Vipers continue to carve their identity into the Central Florida prep football scene, these pioneering players — and their successes — will serve as the team’s foundation.

“People are always going to remember the first group of kids that got a win, but these younger kids coming up they are also going to remember (who showed them to be leaders, who worked hard in the weight room, who spent extra time after practice) and those are the things that I don’t bring up to players,” Rienzi said. “But, those are the things that these younger group of kids have seen and watched because that group was so strong. And now, it’s just going to naturally flow through the program — that’s the legacy that these kids have left, and that’s all we can really ask for as far as what a senior leaves for a program.”

One thing is certain for the Vipers who still have time to play come fall, and that is they are more ready than ever to get back on the football field.

“I believe that we are going to have a great season next year; we are going to make history,” Boujidi said. “We are going to make a lot of people mad by beating them, so I hope that’s our legacy: being the underdogs, being the bad guys.”

Hablamos Español

ANDREA

Courtesy photos

Wide receiver and running back Tyson Tran will become one of the leaders for the team next season.

Running back Andres Romero toaled 1,224 rushing yards, averaging 122.4 yards per game.

Wide receiver Mason Henrichsen was a fierce competitor for the Vipers last season.

Still a seller’s market

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

PAUL MCGARIGAL has been in the real-estate business for 42 years and has worked for RE/ MAX Properties SW for 30. He specializes in Southwest Orange and said he knows much about the area — from its community stories and drainage history to facts about the school districts, ongoing growth and traffic. He sold 100 homes in 2022, and his top sale was $1.3 million.

Local Realtors are spending this week creating a marketing and sales game plan for 2023 — but that could prove difficult with so many factors coming into play after a multiple-year pandemic and a slowing economy that included rising interest rates and supply constraints.

‘CRYSTAL BALLS ARE A LITTLE FUZZY’

It’s still very much a seller’s market, said Paul McGarigal, of RE/MAX Properties SW.

“(In the first quarter of 2022), the demand was way greater than the supply, because we had other factors affecting the supply — i.e., the builders couldn’t get supplies to build,” he said. “And the interest rates were so attractive that the buyers were buying everything.”

But all that changed last summer, when inflation and rising interest rates affected many potential homebuyers.

TENNILLE BIGGERS has been a Realtor with Keller Williams Elite Partners III for six years. She covers the Greater Orlando area but focuses mostly on Winter Garden, where she lives. She had 28 closings in 2022, and her highest sales price was a home in Hickory Hammock that sold for $1.235 million.

“Our government decided to start raising the interest rates, and within two months, the brakes hit, and by July, the buyers were, in many cases, priced out of buying a house,” McGarigal said. “The interest rates went from 2.75% around April; by JulyAugust-September, the interest rate was 7%.

“What that did was it affected so many — especially the starter-

home buyers,” he said. “The people were buying in the $300,000s and $400,000s, those payments went from $2,500, $2,800 to $3,300. … That just kicked out a lot of buyers. At the same time, the greedy landlords of the world decided to take

advantage of all the people who were renting because they didn’t have another choice.”

For example, he said, for the last 30 years, folks who were paying $1,800 in monthly rent could qualify for a mortgage in the same amount.

“When the interest rates rose and the demand became so much greater than the supply … the rents went from $2,200 to $2,800 and from $2,500 to $3,200 — and then they couldn’t buy, because they couldn’t qualify for a $3,200 (mortgage),” McGarigal said. “Paychecks didn’t go up.”

Tennille Biggers, of Keller Williams Elite Partners III, said the market in West Orange County remains strong. But it’s difficult to forecast what 2023 will bring.

“Crystal balls are a little fuzzy,” she said. “No one knows what the interest rate is going to do. … We can tell clearly that the interest rate has

celebrity cipher

Courtesy

This home in the Hickory Hammock subdivision in Winter Garden sold for $1.235 million. The Realtor was Tennille Biggers of Keller Williams Elite Partners III.

by Drew Schmenner, edited by David Steinberg By Luis Campos

affected the market, which I think needed to happen. But we were not sustainable last year.

“It’s predicted the interest rate may stay around where we are at now,” Biggers said. “I don’t think it will stay at 6.3% for all of 2023.

If that’s the case, here in Central Florida, I expect that the market is going to continue like it has in the last quarter. I predict that (2023) is going to be strong like this last quarter. There is more inventory on the market … which is healthy.”

But, she said, buyers are cautious.

“I don’t think it’s time for sellers to panic,” Biggers said. “Values are strong. They need to have a little patience. Realtors need to say, ‘Your house might be on the market for a month’ … and they can still do very well.”

The median sales price in Orange County a decade ago was about $140,000, according to Stellar MLS.

The average home price in West Orange County and Southwest Orange County at the end of 2022 was in the $500,000 to $600,000 range, McGarigal said, although there are plenty of neighborhoods with homes close to and exceeding the $1 million price tag.

He is seeing on the market milliondollar homes in the Dr. Phillips area in neighborhoods such as Parkview Reserve, Phillips Grove, Ruby Lake and Phillips Landing and in Winter Garden’s Lake Hancock area.

“I think we’re seeing a temporary cooling off (of the market), but I don’t think we’re seeing the prices going down much, because there’s still such a demand,” he said. “Prices are not going down; they’re just not going up stupid like they were a year ago.”

It’s still very much a seller’s market, McGarigal said; the last time Realtors experienced a buyer’s market was around 2009 in what he called “a market meltdown” and residents saw foreclosure signs in yards.

RESALES OVER CUSTOM

McGarigal said he’s seeing another trend that he expects will continue in 2023 — buyers are leaning more toward resales over spec and custom homes.

“When you go to buy a new house right now, the (construction) contract says, ‘We have seven months to two years,’” he said of the homebuilding timeline. “Think about that. If you’re a buyer, you’re renting, probably. How do you even tell your landlord, ‘I’m not renewing my lease.’ How do you lock in the interest rate if it’s going to be seven months? How do you lock in the price of materials? The contract says the cost could go up.

“What that does is it drives people to buy resales,” he said. “If they want to buy a resale, they can close in a month.”

McGarigal believes the resale market in West Orange and Southwest Orange will remain hot this year and

chalks it up to theme park expansions, the construction of the highspeed rail and other occupational factors.

“There are plenty of jobs bringing the people in,” he said. “They’ve got to have a place to live. But in the end, it would be my advice — and I’m sure most Realtors would say — if you had a choice between renting for another year and buying now, I would recommend you consider buying now instead of waiting a year.”

PLENTY OF BUSINESS

“If we look at November (2022), sales were down 45%, but this is so subjective, because (in 2021) at this time, we had nothing to sell,” Biggers said. “Inventory is going up, and I do relate that directly to interest rates have gone up a lot since last year.

If we look at December 2021, if we look at a 30-year fixed mortgage, we were at 3.1%. December 2022 — same type mortgage — we’re at 6.3%. The interest rate has doubled.

“As far as inventory, what’s available in the market has more than doubled year over year,” Biggers said. “But that’s subjective. We were so far gone (in 2021). … Last November (2021), we were down to less than a month of inventory (in the Greater Orlando area), and now we have 3.6 months of inventory, which is still a seller’s market. A balanced market is when you have about six months of inventory.

“In November 2021 the average days on market was 28 — everything from new construction to distressed properties,” she said. This November (2022) our days on market are 43. So we haven’t even doubled.”

McGarigal said he expects buyers will have to look farther outside West Orange and Southwest Orange to find affordable housing options, including Haines City, Davenport and Groveland.

“Nobody’s income is going up as much as the cost,” he said.

Real-estate agents like Biggers and McGarigal aren’t too worried about 2023, though, and aren’t hesitant about future sales in this area.

“I fully expect in this coming year that there’s plenty of business for the agents who are working,” Biggers said.

Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers

The Florida Public Service Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $30.50 per month and business services are $43.50 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request.

CenturyLink participates in the Lifeline program, which makes residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers may qualify for Lifeline discounts of $5.25/month for voice or bundled voice service or $9.25/month for qualifying broadband or broadband bundles. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to qualify.

CenturyLink also participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible households with a discount on broadband service. The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.

For both programs, a household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Services are not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in these programs. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain these discounts can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from these programs.

If you live in a CenturyLink service area, visit https://www.centurylink.com/aboutus/ community/community-development/lifeline.html for additional information about applying for these programs or call 1-800-201-4099 with questions.

Descuentos de teléfono e internet disponibles para

clientes de CenturyLink

La Comisión de Servicios Públicos de Florida designó a CenturyLink como una operadora de telecomunicaciones que está calificada dentro de su área de servicio para proporcionar servicios universales. Las tarifas de servicio básico local de CenturyLink para líneas de voz residenciales son de $30.50 al mes y los servicios de negocios son de $43.50 al mes. Las tarifas específicas se proporcionarán bajo solicitud.

CenturyLink participa en el programa Lifeline, el cual hace que el servicio telefónico residencial o el servicio de banda ancha que califique sea más económico para los individuos y familias de bajos recursos que cumplan con los requisitos. Los clientes que reúnan los requisitos pueden optar a descuentos Lifeline de $5.25/mes para servicios de voz o paquetes de voz o de $9.25 al mes para banda ancha o paquetes de banda ancha que reúnan los requisitos. Los residentes que viven en tierras tribales reconocidas federalmente pueden calificar para obtener beneficios adicionales si participan en ciertos programas federales adicionales de elegibilidad. El descuento Lifeline está disponible únicamente para un teléfono o servicio de banda ancha por hogar que califique, y dicho servicio puede ser alámbrico o inalámbrico. Las velocidades de banda ancha deben ser de al menos 25 Mbps de descarga y de 3 Mbps de subida para calificar.

CenturyLink también participa en el Programa de Conectividad Asequible (ACP, por sus siglas en inglés), el cual les ofrece a los hogares que cumplen los requisitos un descuento en el servicio de banda ancha. El ACP ofrece un descuento de hasta $30 al mes en el servicio de banda ancha para los hogares que reúnan los requisitos necesarios y de hasta $75 al mes para los hogares de las tierras tribales que reúnan los requisitos.

Para ambos programas, un hogar está definido como un individuo o grupo de individuos que viven juntos en la misma dirección y que comparten ingresos y gastos. Los servicios no son transferibles y solo los clientes que cumplen con los requisitos pueden inscribirse en estos programas. Los clientes que hagan declaraciones erróneas deliberadamente para poder obtener estos descuentos pueden ser castigados con una multa o con encarcelamiento y pueden ser bloqueados de estos programas. Si vive en un área de servicio de CenturyLink, visite https://www.centurylink.com/aboutus/community/ community-development/lifeline.html para obtener información adicional sobre cómo solicitar estos programas o llame al 1-800-201-4099 si tiene preguntas.

“I don’t think it’s time for sellers to panic. Values are strong. They need to have a little patience. Realtors need to say, ‘Your house might be on the market for a month’ … and they can still do very well.”

— Tennille Biggers, Keller Williams Elite Partners III

Certificates of deposit available through Schwab CD OneSource® typically offer a fixed rate of return, although some offer variable rates. They are FDIC-insured and offered through Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Investors in money market funds should carefully consider information contained in the prospectus, or, if available, the summary prospectus, including investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. You can request a mutual fund prospectus by calling Schwab at 1-800-435-4000. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. You could lose money by investing in the Schwab Money Funds. SWVXX seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, but cannot guarantee it will do so. SWVXX may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Schwab Money Funds is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Schwab Money Funds’ sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Funds, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Funds at any time. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. For the most recent 7-day yields, see schwab.com. The 7-Day Yield is the average income paid out over the previous seven days assuming interest income is not reinvested and it reflects the effect of all applicable waivers. Absent such waivers, the fund’s yield would have been lower.

©2022

CC7019834 (1222-2X1K) ADP119092R-00 (09/22) 00278560 SCH9031-126

Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. (CSIM), the investment advisor for Schwab Funds, and Schwab, Member SIPC, the distributor for Schwab Funds, are separate but affiliated companies and subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation.

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC.